Important Software Developer Interview Questions And Answers

In 2021, the demand for software developers is considerably high. Increased digitization across industries has led to more and more organizations being willing to hire software developers to build and deploy powerful and responsible software platforms based on their needs. For both commercial and non-commercial purposes, software developers are demanded by brands all over the world for creating robust digital platforms.

 

However, the journey of getting hired as a software developer is not too easy. Companies look for candidates that possess thorough knowledge and skills pertaining to specific domains. Recruitment managers across the board make critical assessments of all candidates applying for the job, selecting only the ones that fit the bill.

 

Whether you are entering the world of software development or switching careers, it is important for aspiring software developers to be well-versed with the latest technological trends and possess all technical skills required for them to add value to the companies they work for.

 

Job interviews play an important role in any recruitment process. They allow an organization to interact with suitable candidates, assess their capabilities, and ask them relevant questions to check their acumen. As a candidate, it is important to be well-prepared and confident as you interact with the interviewer. In both HR and technical interviews, candidates are assessed for the knowledge they possess and the attitude they bear.

 

If you are preparing for an interview for the position of a software developer, here are some of the most important interview questions and answers that would help you in your journey:

 

What are the different categories of software platforms?

Here are the major categories of software platforms:

1. Application software

2. System software

3. Web applications

4. Embedded software

5. Scientific software

6. Artificial intelligence software

 

What is the difference between a software platform and a computer program?

A computer program is simply a piece of programming code that is used for performing a specific well-defined task. On the other hand, a software platform includes documentation, programming code, and a user guide. In other words, a software platform is a more holistic version of a computer program.

 

What do you mean by software engineering?

Software engineering is the process of software development carried out to improve the maintainability of a software system.

Briefly explain the software development process.

 

Here are the major stages of a software development life cycle:

 

1. Requirement analysis

2. Specification

3. Software architecture

4. Implementation

5. Testing

6. Documentation

7. Training and support

8 Maintenance

 

What does SDLC stand for? What are the different SDLC models available for developers?

SDLC stands for software development life cycle. An SDLC model is a model used in development projects for defining the different stages involved in information system development, right from initial feasibility to maintaining the completed application.

 

Some of the major SDLC models include:

1. Spiral model

2. Waterfall model

3. Big-bag model

4. V-model

5. Iterative model

 

What do you mean by verification and validation in software development?

Verification is the process of setting activities that ensure that a software platform implements a specific function. On the other hand, validation refers to the set of activities undertaken to ensure that a software platform has been developed according to the specific needs of the client.

 

What do you mean by debugging?

Debugging is the process of removing errors from a developed software platform. It plays an important role in software testing.

 

What is the difference between a stub and a mock?

Stub refers to the minimal implementation of an interface that returns hardcoded data. On the other hand, mock refers to the process of verifying outputs against expectations.

 

What is the role of a software development project manager?

A software development project manager is a professional responsible for overlooking a development project and coordinating different tasks performed by the team members.

 

The role of a project manager includes charting out extensive plans for development projects, monitoring ongoing processes, managing risks, and delivering the projects on time.

 

What do you mean by software scope?

Software scope refers to a well-defined boundary that includes all sorts of activities carried out for developing and delivering a specific project. Software scope helps you define a range of functionalities and artifacts that need to be delivered as a part of the concerned project. It also allows you to identify the functionalities of the product, the components that are not a part of the product, and project estimation.

 

Software scope is helpful for estimating a variety of aspects within a software product. This estimation can be decided by consulting experts or with the help of pre-determined formulae.

 

How would you ascertain the size of a software product?

I would ascertain the size of a software product by using one of the following two methods:

1. Keeping a count of the function points delivered

2. Keeping the count of the lines of delivered code

 

What do you mean by function points?

Function points are the different features provided by a specific software product. They are helpful in measuring the size of a software platform.

 

What do you mean by software configuration management?

Software configuration management is the process that involves controlling and tracking changes taking place within a software platform. Change control is a function that helps you ensure that all relevant changes made into your software system are consistent and created keeping the rules and regulations of the organization in mind.

 

How would you measure project execution?

I would measure project execution with the help of status reports, activity monitoring, and milestone checklists.

 

What does a feasibility study mean?

Feasibility study refers to the measure of ascertaining how practical and beneficial a specific software development project would prove to an organization. Here, a software analyzer conducts an extensive study to know the economic, technical, and operational feasibility of the development project as follows:

 

1. Economic – includes the cost of training, additional tools, and the overall estimation of costs and benefits of the development project.

2. Technical  – includes the technical evaluation of the project to ensure that it is technically feasible to develop the concerned platform. It involves assessing the suitability of the machine and operating system used for running the software.

3. Operational  – includes the assessment of how the concerned organization would be able to adjust to the changes made according to the demand of the project. It answers the question of whether the problem is worth solving at the estimated cost.

 

What are functional and non-functional requirements in a software development project?

Functional requirements are the functional features expected by the clients and the users from the proposed software product to be developed. On the other hand, non-functional requirements refer to the security, look, performance, feel, and other aspects of the software platform to be developed.

 

What do you mean by modularization?

Modularization refers to the technique used for dividing a software platform into multiple discreet modules that are expected to undertake specific tasks independently.

 

Mention some important software design and analysis tools.

Here are some of the major software design and analysis tools:

 

1. Structured charts

2. Data flow diagrams

3. Structured English

4. Data dictionary

5. Hierarchical input process output diagrams

6. Entity relationship diagrams

7. Decision tables

 

What is a level-0 data flow diagram?

The highest abstraction level is referred to as level-0 in a data flow diagram. It is also known as context-level data flow diagram. This diagram is used for portraying the entire information system as a single diagram.

 

What is the difference between structures English and pseudocode?

Structured English is the native English language used for writing the structure of a program module. It makes use of programming language keywords. Pseudocode, on the other hand, is essentially a programming language without the syntax of a specific language.

 

What do you mean by structured design?

In simple words, structured design refers to the conceptualization of a problem based on the “divide and conquer” strategy. It is also known as solution design.

 

What do you mean by functional programming?

Functional programming is a programming method that uses the concepts of a mathematical function. It provides you with a means of computation in the form of mathematical functions for producing results irrespective of the state of the program.

 

What is the key difference between quality assurance and quality control?

Quality assurance revolves around checking if suitable processes are followed while developing a software platform. On the other hand, quality control deals with maintaining the quality of the concerned software product.

 

What do you mean by CASE tools?

CASE stands for Computer-Aided Software Engineering. These tools are sets of automated software application programs used for supporting, enhancing, and strengthening the SDLC processes.

 

What is the difference between EXE and DLL?

While EXE is an executable program, DLL refers to a file that can be loaded and executed by programs in a dynamic manner. As both EXE and DLL are different programs, you can reuse a DLL instead of having that code in your files.

 

The Final Word

These were some of the most important interview questions and answers pertaining to software development. However, it is always important to be aware of the nitty-gritty details of the programming language you have mastered and the technologies you are willing to work with in order to secure a job as a software developer in a reputed company.